Does she want to be a Corolla?

The name Corolla enjoys an excellent reputation around the world. Over the twelve model generations since 1966, the model has earned a reputation as a somewhat boring, but extremely solid and robust model. At times it was the best selling car in the world. Then, from 2007, Toyota replaced the widely used Corolla model in Europe with the Auris. After ten years, the Japanese experienced a huge drop in sales and regretfully reverted to the old Corolla model designation. As a result, sales of the popular compact-class lineup revived.

But if you want to be successful in the market today, you need an SUV. And that didn’t exist for the Corolla series. That’s why – and after its success with the Yaris Cross mini SUV – Toyota has decided to launch a Corolla Cross as well. At 4.46 meters long, this compact SUV bridges the gap between the smaller Yaris Cross and the C-HR and the larger RAV4.

And optically it has nothing to do with other versions of Corolla. Here are the lush radiator grille of the new SUV, as well as the very elegant-looking fronts of the hatchback and station wagon. Or the rear: Completely different lights. While the Cross, like all Corolla, is based on the global GA-C platform, this is not visually evident with the independently designed body. But the Japanese did not want to risk another experiment with the model name – and therefore the new compact SUV is called Corolla Cross.

No plug-in hybrid planned

So another SUV on offer? Not necessarily: the Corolla Cross offers a number of advantages. First of all, lower consumption. The two variants available at the start of sales have a further improved hybrid drive under the hood, by the way, as the fifth generation. The battery that drives the electric motor charges while driving and supports the two-liter combustion engine. And this combination works very efficiently despite the system output of 197 horsepower.

In our multi-hour test drive between Sitges (Spain) and Barcelona (Spain), the all-wheel drive version sufficed with 6.2 liters and the front-wheel drive 5.7 liters. Our driving style was quite brisk with lots of corners and climbs, i.e. lots of acceleration phases. Although efficient, we asked about a plug-in hybrid variant: “Not planned,” was a short answer from the Japanese coach. In 2023, a leaner hybrid version will arrive, with front-wheel drive, a 1.8-liter petrol engine and a smaller electric motor and 140 hp system power. But this should not play an important role in Switzerland.

Agile on the go

Don’t be fooled by the model name. The Corolla is not an off-roader, even diagonally. On the road – and at least in the “Sport” driving program – it is satisfied with pleasant suspension comfort, with good performance (0-100 km/h in 7.5 s). Front-wheel drive feels a little more agile than the heavier all-wheel drive. Unfortunately, the Corolla Cross is only offered with the continuously variable CVT transmission, which is very popular among the Japanese. Although auto-acceleration accelerates without interruption, it’s annoying with construction-related whining every time the accelerator pedal is pressed. And while we’re still nagging: The navigation system is said to have been improved, but it still reacts a bit late compared to other systems.

The new Corolla Cross can be ordered now. Front-wheel drive is available from 39,700 francs, all-wheel drive from 41,700 francs, and the best-equipped premium AWD variant is available from 48,900 francs. These are confident prices. Still, the Swiss importer expects a success story and plans to sell 1700 Corolla Crosses next year. That’s 300 more parts together than the hatchback and station wagon. We are curious.